The Moreau Catholic High girls volleyball team started slow Thursday night but finished strong to stay unbeaten in Mission Valley Athletic League play with a 25-20, 25-21, 25-17 win over Washington.

Moreau Catholic (20-4, 8-0 MVAL) found itself with fairly sizeable deficits in the first and second sets against a spirited Huskies squad, but the host Mariners rallied in both games and wound up winning in three sets.

“I told them to stop reacting to the other team and play Moreau volleyball,” coach Ami Schelin about the Mariners’ slow start. “I told them it didn’t matter what they were doing and to focus on what we were doing.”

Moreau Catholic trailed 17-12 in the first set before scoring 13 of the final 16 points of the set and was down 8-3 early in Game 2 before rallying.

The Mariners had a balanced offensive effort. They received 32 combined kills from Jessica Imlach, Lauren Brown, Kristie Alejo and Angelica Templeton, as each player had seven or more kills.

Washington (10-10, 4-4) had been a hot team entering this week, winning eight of nine matches after starting 2-7.

But the Huskies lost two league games this week, both in three sets.

“We just have to remember what it was like to fight,” Washington coach Michael Soltau said. “Two weeks ago we had to play 10 sets, and last week we won twice in straight sets. We got a little complacent and it only takes a match to forget what it takes.”

Washington’s Vai Lousi was a handful for Moreau Catholic as she led all hitters with 12 kills.